craft beer enthusiasts

Have you ever consumed a beer at a location that was so unique that it’s hard to think of one without the other every time you see it? We have, and here’s the story about it…

Let’s consider just how crucial location is for a bit. In the pantheon of great places to have a beer, most avid craft beer drinkers could probably name a bucket list of locations that says a lot about their personal interests in life from a much broader perspective. Take a person who loves to travel for instance–can you imagine being able to say that you consumed a beer atop the Great Wall of China? Or at the top of the Empire State Building? Or consider someone who’s the adventurous type–aside from the unforgettable experience of summiting a great mountain like Everest, can you imagine cracking a cold one at the top of the world to celebrate? Take the guy who loves to visit breweries–is it possible to find a cooler place to sip a creamy Guinness Draught than at the actual brewery in Ireland itself? Or what about for golf fanatics like ourselves? We’d love nothing more than feeling cold beer barreling down our throats while we stand on the Hogan Bridge at St. Andrews in Scotland, the home of golf. The lists could go on and on, and for each new person you talk to, you’d see a new list remaining unconquered, a quest that from time to time gets fulfilled in very small increments when the timing is just right.

A couple of years ago, we were on our way to Pennsylvania with my brother Justin to play in a golf tournament that our mutual friend Tim had invited us to. Zack and I met up with Justin in Akron on our way, and what turned out to be a quick stop for a few beers turned into a meeting of sorts. You see, another mutual friend of ours had a brother that we were all friends with on our untappd account. He had quite the resume of beers under his belt, and always seemed to get ahold of the ones that we couldn’t get living just an hour south of him.

One particular beer, Waldo’s Special Ale by Lagunitas Brewing Company, had escaped our grasp for yet another year, but after a message from this fellow we had never met, we learned that he had an extra to share with us. Delighted to finally get to try it, we met up with him to pick it up. Little did we know, his job as a manager at the nearby pizza place had its share of perks, one of which was storing your beer that you haven’t taken home yet in the company’s fridge. And because it was cold at the moment and we had a road trip ahead of us, we waited no further than the very parking lot at which he worked to slam it quick and be on our way. The dumpster next to where we consumed it has been forever etched in our memories as something we associate with Waldo’s Special Ale, a beer that’s anything but garbage. We had a good laugh about it then, and still do now when the subject is brought up.

So the next time you share a brew with your buddies or even just by yourself, take a good look around you. Be it a mountain top, a tropical place, a historical landmark, or even just the nearest dumpster–it’s all about location. And if your surroundings are as ridiculous as ours were, be prepared to have a memory for years to come…